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:: Message From Ambassdor
Message from the Ambassador of Japan on the occasion of the Celebration of the 72nd Birthday of His Majesty The Emperor of Japan On the auspicious occasion of the Seventy-Second Birthday of His Majesty, Emperor Akihito of Japan, on 23 December 2005, it gives me great pleasure to extend to his Excellency, the President, Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, the Government and the people of the Republic of the Fiji Islands, and members of the Japanese community in the Fiji Islands, my warm greetings. Fiji is my first posting as an Ambassador of Japan and I have freshly started this year in September. I enthusiastically look forward to an exciting term here in Fiji, helping to build stronger ties and greater times between our two countries. After my arrival in Fiji, I luckily dealt with an event symbolizing the close and long friendship between Fiji and Japan. Being the first of its kind in Fiji, an ethnic Japanese Fijian national was decorated with a medal by the Emperor of Japan in November this year. The distinguished person is Mr Takehito Inoue, who has received the ‘Order of the Rising Sun Gold Rays with Rosette’ from Emperor Akihito for excellent service by a Japanese living abroad. Mr Inoue, 73, came to Fiji in 1957 and since then has continuously served Fiji in various sectors in numerous capacities. He was the first Japanese to have assumed Fijian citizenship. I am not only serving as Japan’s Ambassador to Fiji but also to most of the island countries in this Pacific region namely, Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Nauru, Vanuatu Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and Marshall Islands. Among these, there are separate Japanese Embassies in Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and Marshall Islands and the Embassy in Suva is in charge of the other 6 countries including Fiji. The Embassy in Suva is also functioning as Japan’s representative to the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) Secretariat. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties with Fiji and the other countries in the region, Japan has continuously tried to put in place constructive strategies which directly bear tangible results as far as the economic and social development of the Pacific Island countries is concerned. The concept is called Japan’s ODA-Official Development Assistance. In 2005 Japan extended to Fiji the amount of US$447, 219 under the Grant Assistance For Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Programme and the amount of US$670, 512 under the Cultural Grant Aid Programme. For other countries, for instance, Nauru received a Non-Project Grant Aid worth US$811,534 for assistance in its electricity operational costs. Under the GGP, Tonga received US$869, 263, Tuvalu received US$26, 362, Vanuatu received US$527, 175, and Kiribati was the recipient of assistance worth US$131, 057 in 2005. Furthermore, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Fiji has been dispatching a significant number of volunteers in the region to help the Governments undertake development initiatives. Under the JOCV – Japan Overseas Corporation Volunteer programme in 2005, Fiji had 36 young volunteers as well as 25 Senior Volunteers. In Tonga, JICA dispatched 27 JOCVs, as well as 7 Senior Volunteers, while in Vanuatu the number of JOCV dispatched was 21 together with 9 Senior Volunteers. The Government of Japan also provided US$220, 000 to the PIF as its annual contribution to the development of the whole region. ODA is not the only form of cooperation by Japan in the region. Another significant indicator of Japan’s commitment towards Fiji and the region’s development and prosperity is the continued success of the Japan-PIF Summit Meeting (PALM: Pacific Island Leaders Meeting). The PALM began as Japan’s initiative to be hosted every three years where National leaders of Japan and the PIF countries meet and discuss various issues including priority areas of economic development, political stability, good governance, education, health, trade, tourism etc. The last Summit was held in May 2003 in Okinawa, Japan, and was co-chaired by Fiji’s Prime Minister, Honorable Laisenia Qarase and Japan’s Prime Minister, Honorable Junichiro Koizumi. Now, I am quite happy to announce that the PALM 2006 will be held next year in Okinawa from May 26th to 27th. The PALM will be co-chaired by Honorable Junichiro Koizumi and Sir Michael Somare, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. The PALM 2006 is again expected to be attended by 14 PIF members where development, health and security concerns of the Forum will be addressed alongside strengthening the relations with Japan. Japan has also been offering its cooperation in fields of education and youth exchange. For example, this year a total of seven Fiji students and two Tongan students were awarded scholarships to study in Japan. The Government of Japan has been consistently awarding scholarships to Fiji students since 1982 on annual basis whereby a total of 91 Fiji students and 15 other island countries’ students have successfully benefited from the programme to date. While Japan celebrates the Birthday of His Majesty, Emperor Akihito, it is of utmost importance to compliment, regard and acknowledge its friends. Retrospectively, Japan, Fiji and the region share a vibrant and long history where our countries have mutually cooperated to promote development, peace and stability in the entire region. The track record speaks volumes and it is envisaged that the solidarity between Japan, Fiji and the region will grow even stronger in the future. To His Excellency, the President, Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, the Government of the Republic of the Fiji Islands, and the people of this beautiful country, I would like to convey my heartfelt wishes for continued good health and growing prosperity. I would also like to wish everyone a joyous festive season and a happy new year. H. E. Masashi Namekawa |
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